“…Oh no. They’re not picking up.” Concern colored Elfiné’s expression as she stared at her terminal screen.
Using the Eye of the Witch, Elfiné accessed the security cameras in Elysion Academy’s vicinity to pin down Riselia, Regina, and Leonis’s last known locations. She didn’t know why Leonis was dressed like a maid, though.
Probably one of Regina’s pranks.
Regardless, she hadn’t been able to get in touch with any of them. Elfiné had even checked Excalibur Academy, but the Hræsvelgr dorm was empty.
“Sakuya’s vanished, too…”
Admittedly, Sakuya going off on her own or being hard to reach wasn’t unusual. Elfiné knew there wasn’t much need to worry about her.
“I really should consider the possibility they were taken during that mass disappearance…”
According to the administration bureau’s report, third princess Chatres, who had invited Riselia and the others to a tea party, was among the missing students. Since this was a high-grade confidential incident, that information had been kept from the public. Very few had been informed on the matter.
A large number of Holy Swordsmen had disappeared, including the third princess. Such news was bound to spread worry and disorder through the capital. If the Holy Swordsmen had been abducted by Voids…
What should we do? Elfiné bit her lip.
Whatever waited beyond those fissures in space was a complete mystery. Thick miasma thwarted any attempt to send in observation equipment. It seemed like only a matter of time until more massive Voids emerged. And while the bureau had decided that it would deploy an investigation unit, it would be a while before that happened. At this point, all Elfiné could do was use her Holy Sword to search for her friends as best she could.
If he’s with them, they’re probably fine, right?
That ten-year-old boy, who’d made sure not to draw too much attention to himself during the Holy Sword Dance Festival. He’d fooled most other people, but Elfiné knew of his true strength.
I can count on him to keep those girls safe.
Elfiné brought her hands together in prayer.
Nights in the Void world were full of silence. There were no animals. Not even a single insect chirrup disturbed the quiet. The only light in this place so utterly devoid of life came from the portable mana lamp.
It really did make me feel better.
Seated on the rug, Leonis stretched his arms. He was still weakened, yet his body did feel lighter after Regina’s massage. When he was the Undead King, his body would have been entirely unaffected by something like this. Perhaps that explained the humiliating moans from the unexpected pleasure.
“We must be close to the Nessel Territory.”
Leonis switched on his terminal and brought up a map of Camelot and the surrounding landmasses from their original world.
If my hypothesis is correct, it should be past here…
As he pondered this, he felt someone approach him from behind.
“…Leo, why are you awake?”
It was Riselia. She didn’t need to carry a light because of her vampiric vision.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Leonis replied a whisper.
Sakuya and Regina were resting comfortably in their tents. After dinner, the group had decided on who would sleep where while Riselia would keep watch that night. The other two didn’t know it, but Riselia was undead and didn’t need any sleep, making her the perfect one to stand guard.
“Kids need to get their rest. You won’t grow big otherwise,” she scolded as she patted down her skirt and sat beside Leonis.
“I will once I’m tired.” Leonis ignited the portable stove and started boiling water in the kettle. “Didn’t find anything in the area?”
“No, not so much as a single blade of grass. I did find some weird sand sprinkled around.”
“That’s probably Miss Sakuya’s barrier.”
“Oh, really? Touching it made my fingers feel kind of numb…” Riselia frowned.
Evidently, that sand had some level of efficacy at warding off the undead.
“I guess I shouldn’t include that sand in the report, then.” Riselia turned on her terminal and removed mention of the stuff from her account.
In the meantime, Leonis put some cocoa powder into two cups and poured hot water into each.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
Cocoa had recently become Leonis’s preferred drink. It didn’t befit a Dark Lord as well as coffee, but he appreciated its sweetness. Leonis blew on his cup to cool it, and Riselia placed a hand on his head.
“Is it just me, or have you gotten taller?” she said.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t be able to tell.”
“Maybe you’re having a growth spurt.”
“You think?”
This did beg the question of whether his body was maturing. It had been a few months since Leonis’s reincarnation. Given his biological age, it wouldn’t have been odd if he did get taller.
“But I’m dead, so I guess I won’t be aging anymore.” Riselia’s joke had a bit of grimness to it.
“Erm… Sorry.”
“Ah, no, I didn’t mean to imply that it’s your fault!” Riselia shook her head, flustered. “You saved me, and it’s allowed me to protect the Seventh Assault Garden. Really, Leo, thank you.”
Riselia placed her hands over Leonis’s and smiled. Her undead hands, which had no mana flowing through them, were cool and pleasant to the touch.
“I’d say you’re definitely maturing, Miss Selia,” Leonis said. “Your performance during the Holy Sword Dance Festival and the way you fought the Voids in the forest demonstrate great improvement. You’ve come far compared to the practice match at Excalibur Academy.”
“R-really…?” Riselia looked both glad and embarrassed.
“Yes. You performed impressively, even without using the True Ancestor’s Dress.” Leonis took out a brooch with a chain attached to it from his pocket. The jewel set into it was a deep crimson. “I think it’s safe to let you have this now.”
“Uh, what is this, Leo?” Riselia’s ice-blue eyes examined the jewel curiously.
“It’s called the Dragon Blood. It’s an amulet without equal. Many heroes have died trying to get it.”
Leonis deposited the jewel in Riselia’s cold hands. The bloodred gem glowed faintly in the dark.
“You really want me to have this?”
“Yes.”
“A-are you sure? It looks so precious…”
“Veira asked me to give it to you.”
“She did?!” Riselia looked surprised.
“She said it’s your reward for beating her at the Shangri-la Resort. I guess she’s taken a liking to you.”
Veira had given Leonis the Dragon Blood on the way to their battle with the Lord of the Seas. It wasn’t often that the cruel, tyrannical Dragon Lord displayed kindness for anyone other than her fellow dragons. Even then, she didn’t hand out things like the Dragon Blood frivolously.
And it’s no ordinary jewel.
The Dragon Blood was quite dangerous in the hands of someone unaccustomed to handling mana. Leonis had been careful not to give it to Riselia until he was certain she was ready.
“You must exercise caution when you use it. Just like the True Ancestor’s Dress, it’s a magical tool that holds a great deal of mana, and that makes it challenging to control.”
“A-all right, I understand. Thank you, Leo.” Riselia nodded tensely.
“Don’t thank me, thank Veira… Huh, what’s wrong, Miss Selia?”
As soon as she had received the Dragon Blood, Riselia started acting strange. Her ice-blue eyes took on a trembling crimson glow.
“Ah, what…? H-huh…?” Riselia muttered, her cheeks flushed and her breath turning labored.
Mana deficiency? Leonis thought. He looked down at the amulet in her hand, yet nothing seemed unusual.
“Le…o…”
“…?!”
Riselia looked intoxicated. She fell over Leonis, pinning him against the ground.
“…M-Miss Selia?”
“Leo, I want…your blood…”
Her silver hair spilled over his cheeks. He heard her whisper in his ears.
Ahhh. I can’t believe I was so careless, Leonis scolded himself.
Thinking back on it now, Riselia had charged into Scheherazade’s castle, fought the shadow monsters, and then battled with Voids in the forest. Of course she was running low on mana. Touching the Dragon Blood, which held a great deal of magic power, had agitated her vampiric impulses. Riselia hadn’t been able to do anything with Regina and Sakuya, but now…
“…If you don’t want to, just say so. I’ll make do…with your sweat…”
Riselia bashfully ran her tongue over Leonis’s neck.
She was trying to be considerate.
Leonis finally understood. Riselia had been worried about him being weakened after using the Demon Sword and couldn’t bring herself to ask for blood.
Good grief. No wonder Shary calls me dense.
Leonis sighed, lay face up, and angled his neck toward her.
“Don’t worry. Take as much as you need.”
“R-really…?”
“Go ahead.”
Leonis nodded, and Riselia reservedly sank her fangs into him.
“…!”
He really was quite spent, but he wouldn’t suffer a Dark Lord’s mana capacity to be called into question. He still had enough to share with his minion.
“Mmm… Sluuurp… Nha…”
Leonis felt Riselia nibble on his neck. She sucked his blood until he started feeling anemic. Ten minutes or so later…
“I-I’m so sorry, Leo! My head got kind of hazy halfway through.”
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